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Source | WWD | January 4, 2008
DIOR'S NEW LOOK: Taking Dior Homme back to its couture roots, Kris Van Assche made tailored elegance the theme for his first advertising campaign — albeit with a hint of danger. "They look like young professional killers," joked Karl Lagerfeld, who shot three models in a Parisian apartment wearing Van Assche's ballooning, high-waist pants and pristine white shirts.
Van Assche described the images, which break in February magazines, as the "next step" for the brand — rather than a radical change — in its post-Hedi Slimane era. A budding photographer, Slimane lensed recent Dior Homme campaigns and favored an edgy, artsy approach.
"When one evokes 'elegance,' people tend to think you refer to something old-fashioned, boring," Van Assche said. "I am totally aware that we are living in a sportswear generation, but I feel it is my duty — at Dior Homme even more so than at my own label — to propose an alternative....I prefer to look at it as a challenge: make elegance radical."
That's the reason he selected Lagerfeld, who shoots campaigns for Chanel, Fendi, Dom Perignon and others. "Karl Lagerfeld represents in a very personal way this idea of 'modern elegance,'" Van Assche explained.
One subtle change is that the ads were shot in color, "though one could mistake it for black-and-white," Van Assche allowed. The models, all South American and in their mid-20s, are also slightly older than many recent Dior Homme spots.
Van Assche said his favorite image depicts a model at a window in a black suit with a satin collar detail on the lapels. "It best translates the message of modern noblesse," he said.
Dior declined to reveal budgets for the spring/summer campaign, but Van Assche said the media spend would be on par with a year ago.
